In A Galaxy Not So Far Away: Star Flaws

You’ve probably encountered the news about the cosmonaut, who is earning millions of dollars for the Russian space agency by whacking a golf ball from the partially solar powered International Space Station (seen above). The stunt is being paid for by Canadian sports company E21, ostensibly to commemorate the 35th anniversary of astronaut Alan Shepard's golf swing on the moon. Apparently the ball weighs 15 times less than a standard golf ball. Yet, if anything were to run into this particular golf ball, during the three years it is expected to stay in orbit, it would be like being hit by a 20 tonne truck doing 180 kph (112 mph). It seems that even a mere fleck of paint floating in space has been known to gouge a groove in the windshield of space shuttle. And NASA is supposed to be currently keeping track of over 13,000 largish items of discarded space debris. That’s a good use of human and technical resources, huh? Via Fox News and The Age.

You’ve probably encountered the news about the cosmonaut, who is earning millions of dollars for the Russian space agency by whacking a golf ball from the partially solar powered International Space Station (seen above). The stunt is being paid for by